This year is a big one for weddings, as many couples who delayed their ceremony due to the circumstances restricting attendance last year have opted instead to wait and make their big day even more special.

For some, this involves a larger guest list, for others a more creative and candid wedding photography slate to capture the big emotions of the day.

However, others still, according to a study of hundreds of couples set to marry in 2022, are looking to strip away long-standing wedding traditions in favour of the moments and aspects of a wedding that truly matter to them.

Here are some of the traditions that couples are getting rid of for their weddings this year.

The Best Man Speech

One of the hardest speeches to write and perform, the best man speech has been in equal parts the highlight and the bane of a wedding ceremony.

The reason for this is that it is a careful balance between personal and formal, witty without being too barbed and light-hearted whilst still being suitable for the entire guest list.

As a result, some best men have started to nix the speech, partly due to anxiety, but also due to a trend towards more intimate weddings where a big icebreaking speech is less needed.

Tossing The Bouquet

One of the more controversial wedding traditions, tossing the bouquet was initially a distraction tactic so the bride and groom could escape to the bridal chamber, but has since been a small game where whoever catches the flowers is said to have good luck in their future love life.

However, this tradition along with the similarly odd garter toss is one of the most commonly cited traditions that brides, in particular, want to see the back of.

For some, it is a matter of preserving the bouquet as a memento of the big day, whilst for others, the tradition is seen as cringeworthy or demeaning.

The First Dance

Some couples relish the first dance they take together, often choosing a special song or even a choreographed dance. For others, though, the pressure of the moment can be too much, and a quarter of the couples surveyed plan to ditch the first dance.